Question: what is the capacity of those bierkrüge? They look like about 2 quarts, which is ludicrous. Can you really go to bars in Germany and get served a half gallon of beer?

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Solutions Update

Easier Problem - Black To Play

8/1p1P2bk/p5pp/3Q1pq1/P3r3/5pB1/1P2r2P/R4R1K b - - 0 1

1...Rxh2+!
2.Kxh2

If 2.Kg1 then Qxg3# or if 2.Bxh2 then Qg2#

2...Rh4+
3. Bxh4 Qg2#

or 3.Kg1 Qxg3#

Mate in 3.

More Challenging Problem - Black To Play

1r3rk1/p1p2q2/2Bp1bpp/5p2/4p2P/1N1bP1P1/PP1Q1P2/K2R3R b - - 0 1

1...Rxb3!

White's position is surprisingly weak. Now Black threatens Bxb2+

2.axb3 Qxb3
3.Bd5+?!

White's only hope. If anything else, say 3.Rc1 then Qa3#.

3...Qxd5
4.Qb4

To counter mating threats on the a-file.

4...Qc6
5.Rxd3

The loss of the exchange is necessary to blunt the force of White's attack.

5...exd3

6.Rd1 Qc2
7.Rd2 Qc1+
8.Ka2 c5
9.Qb3+ c4
10.Qd1 Qxd1
11.Rxd1 Rb8

Black is up a bishop and has a passed pawn, which is more than enough to win. This is how I did it against my app, which runs the Stockfish engine:

12.Rd2 Kf7
13.Ka3 Ke6
14.f3 Kd5
15.Rf2

And now my king is in place so I can use my favorite tool in my tactical tool kit: simplification.

15...Bxb2+
16.Rxb2 Rxb2
17.Kxb2 a5

Now I have 3 passed pawns and White won't be able to stop them all.

Hope to see you all next week!

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Note: that cryptic line of letters and numbers you see underneath each board diagram is a representation of the position in what is known as "Forsyth-Edwards Notation", or F.E.N. It's actually readable by humans. Most computer applications nowadays can read FEN, so those of you who may want to study the position, you can copy the line of FEN and paste into your chess app and it should automatically recreate the position on its display board. Or, Windows users can just "triple click" on it and the entire line will be highlighted so you can copy and past it into your chess app.

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So that about wraps it up for this week. Chess thread tips, suggestions, bribes, rumors, threats, and insults may be sent to my yahoo address: OregonMuse little-a-in-a-circle yahoo dott com.